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Grandson denies 'renowned' Jaguar expert's murder

Family handout A man in a navy jumper and checked shirt is sat in a dark brown leather chair at a dark wood desk. The desk is piled with knick-knacks and family photos, some placed in little box-style shelves. Framed photos are mounted on a cream-painted wall to his left, and there is a light brown leather arm chair behind him. He has white hair and glasses and is smiling at the camera.Family handout
John Brown, 82, was a "world-renowned" Jaguar restoration expert, with his family saying his reputation in the industry was "unmatched"

A man has denied murdering his grandfather, a "world-renowned" Jaguar restoration expert, who died following an alleged assault.

John Brown, 82, died in hospital on 29 November, six days after police were called to his home in Bulkington, near Coventry.

At Warwick Crown Court on Thursday, his grandson Jakob Walpole, 32, of School Road, Bulkington, pleaded not guilty to Mr Brown's murder.

He also pleaded not guilty to breaching a restraining order on 23 November, and assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The latter was in relation to an incident at Bulkington Working Men's Club in which a customer and a member of staff were allegedly attacked the same day.

Judge Sylvia de Bertodano said Walpole would face a three-week trial starting on 7 July.

Mr Brown was the founder of Leaping Cats, a company that built and restored Jaguars, including the XK series.

His family previously said his reputation in the industry was "unmatched", which earned him "respect and admiration across the globe".

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